Veteran rapper and record producer Dr. Dre topped Forbes list as the highest paid hip hop artist, outing Sean ‘Puff Daddy’ Combs from the top spot With $620 million in estimated pre-tax earnings.
Forbes said Dre’s estimated annual earnings for the 12 months between June 2013 and 2014 are the highest of any musician in any genre it has ever evaluated.
Much of Dr Dre’s earnings this year came thanks to the $3 billion sale to Apple of the Beats high-end headphone company he founded with music executive Jimmy Iovine and other financial ventures, including cognac and vodka brands.
Second place was a tie between Jay Z and Puff Daddy with $60 million, Puff Daddy whose earnings from drinks, clothing and television deals.
Jay Z, who recently toured with his wife, Beyonce, for the first time with their On the Run concerts, pulled in money from lucrative performances, his latest album and his Roc Nation entertainment empire, which assured him a place in the top five.
Drake, 27, came in fourth with $33 million with takings from his album ‘Nothing Was the Same,’ an endorsement deal with sportswear firm Nike and a concert tour.
while the duo, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis rounded out the top five with $32 million.
check out the list. Forbes compiled the list by looking at income from record sales, publishing, merchandise sales, tours and endorsement deals and talking to managers, agents, lawyers and some of the artists.
1. Dr. Dre – $620 million
2. Jay Z (tie) – $60 million
2. Diddy (tie) – $60 million
4. Drake – $33million
5. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – $32 million
6. Kanye West: $30 million
7. Birdman: $24 million
8. Lil Wayne: $23 million
9. Pharrell Williams: $22 million
10. Eminem: $18 million
See the top 20 after the cut…
11. Nicki Minaj: $14 million
12. Wiz Khalifa: $13 million
13. Pitbull: $12 million
14. Snoop Dogg: $10 million
15. Kendrick Lamar: $9 million
16. Ludacris: $8 million (tie)
16. Tech N9ne: $8 million (tie)
16. Swizz Beatz: $8 million (tie)
16. 50 Cent: $8 million (tie)
20. Rick Ross: $7 million (tie)
20. J. Cole: $7 million (tie)
20. DJ Khaled: $7 million (tie)
20. Lil Jon: $7 million (tie)
20. Mac Miller: $7 million (tie)